


Leaving Caldos

by Florence2410UK



Series: Caldos [1]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-16 07:19:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4616340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Florence2410UK/pseuds/Florence2410UK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jean Luc goes in search of Beverly the morning after Ronin is destroyed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaving Caldos

**Author's Note:**

> Sub-Rosa is an odd episode in more ways than one but I always thought there was a scene missing.  
> As always constructive criticism is welcome.

When he finally found her she was sitting up on the hill behind the house watching the sunset. It was a beautiful spot, high up overlooking the village below and in the distance one could see the moors covered in purple heather. Now that the storms had lifted it was a magnificent view. He could certainly understand the colonists’ love of the world they had created on Caldos. He could also understand why Beverly had always regarded it as a haven, a place to retreat to when she needed time and space to think. He hoped that the events of the last few days would not change that.

They had not spoken about what had happened yet. He knew that she had been avoiding him and he was uncertain of whether he should disturb her. But The Enterprise would be leaving tomorrow or the day after and if they didn’t talk soon he was concerned that she might never talk about what had happened. He approached her quietly and when he was a few feet away he said her name.

Beverly turned, looked at him and then looked away. He said her name again and sat down next to her. He was close to her, close enough to reach out and touch her, but he held back uncertain of how she would respond. Finally she leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. Then he put his arm around her as she began to silently cry. They sat for what seemed an age until finally the crying stopped and she spoke. 

“Thank you Jean Luc. Thank you for coming for me. If you hadn’t come I would have been lost to him for ever.”

“You don’t have to thank me. It is what friends are for, they look out for each other.”

“But I was so awful to you Jean Luc. I said terrible things. What must you have thought when you saw me rush head long into a love affair when only a few weeks ago I was telling you that I was afraid to…”

“Beverly” he cut her off gently “you have nothing to apologise for. You were being manipulated by a force that was beyond your control. As for what happened after Kesprytt, well I have waited a long time and I am prepared to continue waiting. There is nothing you could ever do that would change my feelings towards you.”

Beverly sat up and looked into his eyes. What she saw reassured her of his sincerity and she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. He reached to gently wipe the tears away from her cheeks and he smiled at her. She smiled back and they stood up together to walk back down the hill. He held her hand all the way, not wanting to let go of her, or let her out of his sight. He had spoken the truth a few minutes ago. He didn’t hold her responsible for what had happened with Ronin, nor did he think that she had deliberately set out to hurt him. But, if he was honest with himself he had to admit to a certain amount of shock over the way in which Beverly had so easily been prepared to throw away everything to pursue her affair. He also felt more than a little embarrassed at what he had witnessed through the cottage window the night he had gone to find her. She had been right that night. He had been jealous, just as he had been jealous of Odan and just as he had been jealous of Jack. He was jealous of any man who Beverly had allowed to freely love her. What he wouldn’t have given to have been the one making Beverly sigh with pleasure. But it was no use wishing that things between them were different. She had made it clear that she was not ready and so he was resigned to things remaining as they had been for the foreseeable future.

For her part Beverly had carefully avoided talking about what she was certain Jean Luc had seen that night. She was mortified to have been caught engaged in such an intimate act and yet she was a little curious as to what Jean Luc might have felt when he saw her through the window. Deep down she wondered if she had been able to let go of her inhibitions and fears with Ronin why was she not able to overcome her fear of giving in to what she felt for Jean Luc. She had to admit that she was attracted to him and not only that but she knew that her feelings ran much deeper. Without a shadow of a doubt she knew that she loved him. His feelings for her revealed through the mind link they had experienced on Kesprytt had only confirmed what she had long suspected but never dared voice. If only it were not so complicated. She had given in to her fears the night he had asked her if they could try to explore those feelings. It was not how she had expected the evening to end. When she had dressed for dinner that night she had imagined that she and Jean Luc were about to take that final step but when it had come to it she had fled. She was filled with regret and uncertain of what to do to change things.

A few hours later they both transported back to The Enterprise and he walked with her back towards her quarters. Her belongings had already been returned so it was almost as if the past few days had been but an oddly unsettling dream from which she had awoken. When they reached the doors of her quarters she smiled at Jean Luc and took his hand. 

“Thank you again Jean Luc, for everything.” 

He smiled at her and as she turned he said “Can I call by later to check on you?” 

She turned back too him “Of course although I don’t expect that I will be very good company for a few days.”

“I’ll take my chances” he replied and finally letting go of her, he turned away and walked off down the corridor.

**Author's Note:**

> All characters etc belong to Paramount, I'm just playing with them for a bit.


End file.
